A War Within: Choices to be Made
by Kaiya-Hikari
Summary: In her quest to save herself and her friends, Rika Furude finds herself in a very different situation; after hundreds of failed attempts, what will she do when she finds out who is going to fall to the Hinanmizawa Syndrome?...I suck at summaries...
1. Trigger Event

So, this is my first story...

Seth: and what a wonderful story it is!

Me:Suck up

Seth: thank you!

Me:Seth, that wasn't a complement...

Anyway, on with the story!

* * *

Trigger Event

Sitting quietly, acquiescing to the seemingly futile situation she was in, Rika Furude sighed in exasperation.

"Rika," Hanyuu whispered, "we must keep trying."

Rika looked over to Satako, who was sleeping soundly on her futon.

"I've lost track of how many times I've been in this same position. I cannot even comprehend the number of ideas I have implemented," Rika replied, her tone being one of defeat. "What else is there to try?"

"I'm not sure," Hanyuu said softly, kneeling beside Rika. "However, I do know that you can't succeed if you don't try. We have four days until the cotton drifting festival. We must try all we can. We cannot abandon our friends."

"You're right Hanyuu." Rika smiled sadly. "I don't suppose you know which one will succumb to paranoia this time, do you?"

Hanyuu sighed, shaking her head. "Sorry."

* * *

"Rika! Wake up!" Satako exclaimed, shaking Rika gently. "We're going to be late for school!"

Rika yawned, lazily getting herself into a sitting position, and smiled at Satako.

She found comfort in the predictable. Satako would always be her best friend, school would be the same, the club would occur after school, and Satako always woke her up the same way. She got to her feet and rolled up her futon.

* * *

After changing into her school clothes and eating some breakfast, Satako and Rika arrived at the school building. They almost always arrived before the rest of the students. They leisurely made their way down the hallway.

Rika's heart began pounding, each beat echoing within her, when she realized she hadn't seen the trigger; the event that triggered the always fatal effects of the Hinamizawa Syndrome.

"You okay, Rika?" Satako asked. Rika shuddered slightly, but shook her head; shaking the thought from her mind.

"Mii?" Rika smiled innocently. Satako giggled, rolling her eyes. As soon as Satako was no longer looking, Rika's smile vanished.

Rika's thoughts swarmed over possibilities like a hive of angry bumblebees. If she found Keiichi on the other side of the classroom door, she knew he was the one to be concerned about. The same went for Rena.

Rika took a deep breath and held it as Satako slid the door open, and braced herself.

"Good morning Chie-sensei!" Satako shouted.

Rika exhaled, quaking slightly. A sliver of relief passed over her, however the anxiety stayed where it was. The problem still remained; one of her friends was sure to lose it, she still didn't know who, and she hadn't completely ruled anyone out as a possibility.

"Good morning Satako-chan, Rika-chan," The teacher responded happily. Satako made her way to her desk, but Rika remained just inside the doorway, lost in thought.

"Something wrong Rika?" Satako asked, twisting to see her from her seat.

"Nothing's wrong, I was just wondering what a kitty would do if he went to school," Rika replied, snapping out of her trance. "Do you think he would only say 'nyao nyao' or maybe just purr?" Rika smiled, hoping Satako would believe her bold-faced lie.

"If I were you," Satako began, "I wouldn't be so worried about what the kitty would say, but how it would do its school work!" Satako cackled mischievously.

Rika took her seat and watched, fascinated and entertained, as Satako removed the screws, nuts, and bolts from one particular desk and chair. She laughed a little louder with each metal plink on the floor.

Satako gathered up the evidence and rushed back to her seat and "immersed" herself in school work Rika knew was already complete.

Soon, the loud chatter of a small group carried through the hall and into the classroom. The door slid open, and three people walked in; two girls and one boy. The boy was looking around cautiously, and glared at Satako.

"I'm on to you," he accused, jabbing a finger at Satako.

"Yeah yeah. Whatever Keiichi," Satako waved her hand dismissively. "I assure you I have no idea what you are implying." Keiichi's glared turned into a look of surprise briefly. His eyes narrowed shortly there after.

Satako watched Keiichi intently, but carefully, so as not to turn her head. She smirked as Keiichi set down his school bag and began to sit down.

She had rigged it so that he could pull the chair out without it coming apart, but it would come apart with any amount of pressure or weight.

There was a crash and a thud.

"Damn it Satako!" Keiichi shouted. He reached up to his desk for support in his effort to stand, but was only rewarded with the desk coming apart and his face smacking into the floor. "I hate you." He said; his voice muffled by the desk/chair debris, as well as the floor his cheek was smashed up against.

"Ah Ha Ha Ha!" Satako laughed maniacally. "Surely, you must have known you would not escape my traps! This is what sets me apart from the rest, what marks me as a true professional. You expected it, yet still fell for it. Ah Ha Ha Ha!"

"You really should have known better Keiichi," one of the girls whispered.

"Rena!" Keiichi ranted. "Just whose side are you on!"

"Don't take your anger out on Rena! It was your own fault," the other girl laughed.

"Mion's right, Keiichi," Rika piped up.

"Some friends you are," Keiichi grumbled. "Now, would you help me put my desk back together please?" he chuckled. Satako obliged, giggling all the way.

* * *

Well, that's this first chapter anyway. I separated sections of time, just a heads-up.

Anyway, please review, comment, etc. Thanks For Reading!


	2. Suspicion and Tea

Well, this is another, rather short, chapter. I appologize for the length of time between chapters. Thanks to spirtofwater and NotSoHappyBirthday for reviewing. i may update this chapter later.

* * *

This first thing Rika noticed, sitting awake late at night, was Hanyuu's absence. It unnerved her when she didn't know where the spirit was.

It also made her feel more alone than she already was, trapped in a never ending time loop; a constant loop of eternal pain and anguish.

She found her self wondering, as she had done many times before, what she and her friends did to deserve the torture they constantly went through.

It was then, during her musings, that something seemed off about one of her friends. Someone wasn't how they should be, and that automatically raised Rika's anxiety level. She found herself wishing her companion was there.

* * *

"Mion's not coming to school today, Rika," Rena informed her gently. "There's no use in watching the door."

Rika nodded, turning away from the door. She put on a happy face, but inside, she was upset.

Something wasn't right. Mion was class president, as well as the president of the club; the club she, Keiichi, Rena, and Satako all participated in. There was no reason for her to stay home; sick or not, she had been fine the day before.

* * *

"Well, what are we gonna do?" Keiichi asked, scratching his head. "It's not like Mion's here to tell us."

"Who knew how lost we'd be without her," Satako shrugged.

"I feel totally useless, useless," Rena sighed.

"I guess we should just go home then," Keiichi suggested.

"Yeah, I don't really see any reason to hang around here," Satako agreed.

"Then it's settled," Rena smiled. "Let's go home, go home."

"Is that okay with you, Rika?" Keiichi asked, gently touching Rika's shoulder. "You look upset."

Rika shook her head, "I was just looking forward to today's club meeting!"

"Yeah, she wanted to see me wipe the floor with you, Keiichi!" Satako chortled.

"One of these days Satako…" Keiichi trailed off, and smirked deviously.

* * *

"Satako," Rika began, "you go on ahead. I'm worried about Mi-chan."

"Are you gonna go check on her?" Satako smiled, pleased by what she perceived to be her friends concern.

"Of course! Mion won't like being all by her self!" Rika beamed.

"Well, alright. I'll go home and start dinner. Don't stay too late!" Satako grinned, waving to her departing friend, before turning to walk home. Rika turned toward Mion's house, and began her trek to the Sonozaki residence.

Rika was wrapped in her own thoughts and concerns. She truly didn't care about Mion's health, for she doubted she was sick at all. She was practically quaking at the thought of what might have been brewing within.

Without fully realizing it, she had stopped just before the gate to the Sonozaki house. She sighed. After tapping at the door, someone ushered her in, and directed her to a room in which Mion sat, gracefully sipping a cup of tea.

"Oh, hi Rika!" Mion smiled, setting down her cup. "What brings you here?"

"Rena said you were sick," Rika replied softly.

"Yeah, I had a pretty bad headache this morning, but I really didn't feel like going to school today," Mion shrugged, playfully fingering her cup.

Rika's face shifted out of its usual childlike configuration, and into the serious one she had acquired after years of witnessing the carnage her friends were capable of.

"Shion," Rika stated, her tone changing to match her facial expression. The green haired girl froze, hands aggressively gripping the cup she had been toying with; her eyes narrowed, glaring at Rika through her peripheral vision.

The girl's expression softened and she laughed. She took her hair out of the ponytail it had been in and carefully separated it into a half-up-half-down style. She turned to Rika and smiled.

"What gave me away?" she laughed again. Rika's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but she let it go, and returned Shion's seemingly sincere smile.

"Even though Mion doesn't like school, she would tough it out so that she could host our club meetings!" Rika beamed.

"Geez and I thought I actually had her nailed," Shion shook her head in pleasant disbelief.

"Where is Mion, Shion?" Rika asked, her expression hardening once again.

"She and I switched places for the day," Shion sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "She didn't tell me why though, and believe me; I wanted her reasoning for it all. But you know my sister, once she has her mind set on something, she won't budge." Shion laughed, but this time, her laugh faded into an eerie silence.

"Shion-san?" Rika prodded. Shion looked up, a new, undefined expression taking the place of the pleasant one before it.

"She's been acting so strangely lately…" she trailed off. "I'm starting to think she's avoiding grandma. She had one order for me, and that was to make sure grandma thought I was her. She didn't go any deeper into it, but I'm convinced something else is going on…" she trailed off again, losing herself in her ponderings and musings.

"Thank you for your time Shion," Rika bowed respectfully, and then smiled. "Nii paa!"

"I think you mean '_Mion_' silly," Shion replied, halfway emerging from her stupor, holding a finger to her lips. Rika nodded, understanding.

"My brain was confused Mii-chan! I'm sorry!" Rika laughed. Shion winked, and waved to Rika as she left the Sonozaki house.

* * *

Seth: This story is lame...

Me: Why?

Seth: There isn't any egyptian stuff...

Me: i have nothing to say to you

In any case, thanks for reading. Review if you can...


	3. Hiatus

I just wanted to put out the word to the few followers that this story has that, due to a few personal emergencies/tragedies, I won't be updating the story for a LONG time. I appreciate your interest in the story and I PROMISE I will update as soon as possible. Thanks again, all of you!

Slight update to my hiatus...

I'm embarrassed to say that all my rough copies, first and second drafts, and all my scraps that I recorded my story on have mysteriously vanished. I cannot find them anywhere. So one set of my troubles end and a new set appears. I suspect nargles are behind it, or perhaps the trolls that live under my washing machine and steal my favorite socks. None the less, I regret to say that until I can find my hard copies, this story, unfortunately, is discontinued temporarily. I'm certain that I will come across them sooner or later. If all else fails, I'll completely rewatch to anime, dubbed, subbed, etc., and play through the game again and start from scratch.

See you all soon, I hope!

Kaiya-Hikari


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